More Than Friends
by Bandbabe
Summary: "Come on, let's get out of here," Adam said. "This anti-PDA thing is cramping my style." - Sequel to "Til I Hear It From You" - FiAdam fic!
1. This is real?

"More Than Friends"

Summary: Sequel to "Til I Hear It From You"; Adam and Fiona adjust to their new relationship. (FiAdam fic!)

Author's Note: Picks up right where "Til I Hear It From You" left off. Second sequel of "We Are Friends"!

Categories: Romance/Friendship

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

_**From "Til I Hear It From You" (Chapter 5)**_

"_What does this mean?" he asked still not quite believing Fiona Coyne actually kissed him._

"_It means whatever we want it to mean," she said definitively. Her heart was beating so fast, yet her words came out calm. It surprised her, but felt right._

_Emboldened, Adam reached forward and captured her lips with his. This time there was no questioning what they felt._

_

* * *

_

-oOo-

Adam Torres had a huge smile on his face. He couldn't lose it if he tried. It was 7am and he was heading to school. His brother Drew had morning football practice. Usually he spent the time reading comic books on the front steps. Today he was joining Fiona Coyne for breakfast. Yesterday they had kissed. Repeatedly. He could safely say they were more than friends now.

Every time he replayed their kisses his insides grew warm. He hadn't been doing it for long, but he already knew kissing Fiona was his favorite activity.

"Adam, we're here," Drew told him. His mother looked at him expectantly and he knew his name had been called more than once. He grinned sheepishly and opened the car door.

"Have a good day at school, honey," she told him.

He nodded and left the car. Drew turned to him as they watched the car drive away.

"So you're meeting her for breakfast?" he asked with a knowing smile. Adam told him everything yesterday, but Drew couldn't resist the chance to tease information out of him.

Adam nodded proudly. "I mean, maybe it counts as a date but it is the morning."

"Doesn't matter what you call it. Hanging out with a girl after you made out is always a milestone," Drew said proud of his little brother.

Adam shrugged. "Guess you're right."

"Have a good time," Drew said as they bumped fists. He then headed towards the school.

Adam nodded and turned in the opposite direction.

-oOo-

Fiona took another sip of her soy latte. She was at a bistro, not far from her condo. On the table she had a croissant with jam and her math textbook. She was doing some light reviewing while waiting for Adam. Her _boyfriend_? No, it was too soon to concern herself with titles. She could say they were officially more than platonic.

Yesterday Adam admitted that he had feelings for her. She kissed him. Then he kissed her. They had spent the afternoon making out & occasionally eating Tapas at her condo. She was excited to explore this new aspect of their relationship. She and Adam already had a strong connection. Perhaps they would work well together romantically as well.

At least she thought so. Her best friend Holly J was less than thrilled to her about this recent development with Adam. They ended up getting into a fight about it. Holly J had brought up some valid points – they have a 2 year age difference and Fiona is slated to return to New York City at the end of the school year. However, Fiona thought she crossed the line by questioning her decision to date a transman.

"Hey!" Adam said as he approached her with a bright smile. He wore his school uniform, purple polo shirt with khaki slacks, and had a baseball cap on. He pulled her into a hug. Thoughts of her argument with Holly J vanished as the feeling of butterflies in her stomach took hold.

"Morning Fi," he said softly as they pulled away. He kept his eyes on hers.

She smiled flirtatiously. "Morning Torres," she said and then flicked his hat.

He laughed and then moved closer to her. He stopped a few inches shy of touching her lips and asked, "So what's good here?"

Just like that all her nervousness melted away. The Adam she knew stood before her, playful and as sure of himself as ever. '_Two can play that game_,' she thought.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear, "I would suggest taking a look at the menu."

She pulled away and was satisfied to see her effect on him. He grinned, deciding to forfeit this round. He reached up and gently rested his hand on her cheek.

"I'm really glad we're dating," Adam said sincerely. Fiona let the warm feeling of joy, relief, and happiness wash over her. She played with the collar of his shirt.

"So that's what this is?" she teased. He nodded as she pulled him closer. Their lips met in a soft, yet powerful kiss.

.

tbc

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A/N: I heart reviews! Let me know what you think :D


	2. First Reactions

"More Than Friends" – Part 2

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

Adam was walking on air! Breakfast had been better than he could possibly imagine. They canoodled over croissants and tea. They left walking hand in hand. He resented the lockdown now more than ever, because PDA was strictly prohibited. It was unbearable that he would have to wait 7 hours before he could touch or kiss Fiona again.

In some ways he was happy he wouldn't see her until lunch. To have and not to hold was torture. Still thoughts of spending another afternoon with Fiona lifted his spirits considerably.

"Dude!" Eli Goldsworthy yelled as soon as he spotted Adam in the hallway. He earned a glare from one of the teachers monitoring the halls. He toned down his excitement and walked towards Adam at an acceptable pace.

"Dude, it is true?" Eli asked. He and Adam had spent a half hour on the phone last night talking about the new turn in his relationship with Fiona. Eli was in awe of the story, as was Adam while he told it!

"It wasn't a dream!" Adam grinned. "Though, if it was I'd categorize it as the most awesome dream ever."

Eli pulled him into an excited hug. This caused the monitor to clear his throat loudly. The two boys jerked apart.

Fitz smiled as he walked by. "Freaks."

Eli glared at him. "That gets no comment?" he yelled annoyed. The monitor ignored him.

Adam laughed.

"How is this funny?" Eli questioned.

"We got more action from each other than we'll get from Fiona and Clare today," he answered.

Eli smirked. "Yeah, it's depressing right?"

"So how do you guys deal?" Adam asked as they walked to class. "I can't imagine seeing Fiona and not being able to touch her."

Eli snorted. "That soon, huh? It's already begun?"

"What?"

Eli gave him a knowing glance. "You'll figure it out. Anyway, don't make me a third wheel when Clare has student council meetings."

Adam frowned at him. "Fiona and I aren't like that."

Eli chuckled as he walked into his first class.

-oOo-

Holly J looked at her best friend with a guilty expression. Class was about to start any moment and still Fiona hadn't glanced at her once. Ok, she messed up. More like royally screwed up, but she was determined to make things right.

"Fiona, we should talk about this," she told her.

Fiona stared at her nails. '_I think it's time for another manicure_,' she thought as she continued to ignore Holly J.

"Fiona, I'm sorry."

This got a response. "Yeah, well so am I. But I'm glad I finally see your true colors," Fiona responded. Her tone was laced with bitterness.

Holly J scoffed. "Really? You're going there?"

"You went there first," Fiona retorted.

Before Holly J could respond the teacher stood up and began today's lecture. She sat back in her seat, worried that she might have lost her best friend for good.

.

tbc

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A/N: Hmm, there's a downside to writing without chapters. I've got scene breaks, but cutting up the chapters is a bit uneven. Sorry this one is short. I moved part of chapter 1 over to balance them out a little.

The next part is really long and it wouldn't flow right if I cut it in two. Will update soon!


	3. Not You

"More Than Friends" – Part 3

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

Clare Edwards sat in the cafeteria anxiously awaiting her friends. She took a moment to look around. In the far corner Fitz, Owen, and Bianca were laughing, probably at some poor kid's expense. A few tables to her right, Alli and Jenna were furiously ignoring K.C., Drew, and the football players. On the left, close to the lunch line Connor, Dave, and Wesley were engaged excitedly in conversation. She spotted Chantay with a few cheerleaders walking by her table. Her heart was thumping, worried about how things were going to change.

Clare always hoped for the best. However, she was a realist. As such she thought about consequences and other not so appealing outcomes of the best laid plans. Eli had shared an interesting piece of information last night. After weeks of speculating about their chemistry, Eli had learned that Adam and Fiona had finally kissed. Clare assumed that meant they were together, but in a school like Degrassi you never knew. Hook ups and break ups flew by at a frightening pace. She and Eli had been together officially for just over four months. That made them a long term couple.

The truth was, she was worried for her friend. Adam was a great guy, and Fiona seemed to genuinely care about him. But in high school, there were no guarantees of 'happily ever after'. Clare felt that K.C. had genuinely cared about her. That didn't stop him from breaking up with her and dating Jenna two seconds later. Nor did his long relationship with Jenna prevent him from leaving her to raise their child on her own.

Clare sighed.

She didn't think Fiona would do anything to intentionally hurt Adam. She was a sweet girl who was generous to and accepting of those she cared about. However, hurt was all the same whether it was intentional or not. Fiona was lonely before meeting Adam. He filled a void in her life. Once she was back to top form would she leave Adam in the dust? Also, dating Adam meant his transgender status was not an issue for her. But what if that changed down the road? Clare knew that it would be devastating for Adam. The incident with Bianca made Adam's confidence with relationships hit an all time low. Over time a few successful flirtations help him to recover. Losing Fiona would reopen a wound that never fully healed in the first place.

"Hey girlfriend," Eli greeted her. His eyes darted around the cafeteria quickly. Sensing an opening he gave her a quick kiss. He smiled triumphantly as he sat down with his tray.

"Don't tell Adam," he told her. "It takes time to perfect that skill," he laughed.

Clare gave him a small smile. "Where are Adam and Fiona?"

"They were right behind me. I'm sure they're taking their time," he said jovially. He picked up then shook his chocolate milk. "Can you believe those two crazy kids got together?"

"You don't have any concerns?" Clare questioned.

The smirk slid off his face. "What do you mean?"

"What if this doesn't work out?" she asked.

"Hey guys!" Adam greeted them. He and Fiona placed their trays on the table. He waited for her to sit first, "After you."

Fiona smiled at him. "Thank you, kind sir," she teased.

Adam gave her a look as he sat down. He couldn't stop smiling! Eli and Clare were amused.

Fiona looked up at them. "So you told them?" she said, while also smiling.

They all laughed.

"Yes. Well, I told Eli," Adam clarified. "And I'm sure he told Clare."

"Thanks by the way. It's nice being last to know!" she said in jest. Adam threw her an apologetic look but she waved him off. She turned to Fiona, "So how did Holly J react?"

Fiona tensed momentarily. "Oh, she wasn't too surprised."

"I bet!" Eli chimed in. "Doesn't she stop by the condo fairly often?" he teased.

"Hey!" Adam said trying to stop Eli's next words.

"Didn't she witness 'the chocolate incident'?" Eli continued.

Fiona turned to Adam. He looked a little embarrassed. She raised an eyebrow.

"The other day Adam went on for twenty minutes about how your fingers grazed his lip," Eli revealed. Fiona and Clare erupted into laughter.

"Thanks dude," Adam said annoyed.

Fiona grinned at him. "Adam, actually I think it's sweet," she told him.

"Sweet!" Eli mocked. Adam glared at him. Clare shook her head at their exchange.

"You don't think I've done similar things?" she asked him.

"Like what?" he said intrigued.

She shrugged. "Well there's the camera thing," she paused and looked at Eli and Clare. Their eyes were wide. "It's not what it sounds like!"

Adam stifled his laughter. The gentlemanly thing to do would be to help – if he wanted to break down and laugh. "I promise you it's completely G rated!"

Now all of them howled with laughter.

"You have to clarify," Eli said once he recovered.

Fiona looked at Adam shyly.

"How about we start from the beginning?" Adam suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. I heard from a second-hand source, so it would be nice to get the full story," Clare said playfully.

Adam smiled. "Well, what do you want to know?"

"When did you first realize you liked her?" Eli asked. Adam paused. Count on Eli to ask the tough questions.

He turned to Fiona. A smile returned to his face. "I knew I liked her for awhile. But the first time I realized I like her as more than a friend was the night we watched _Iron Man_ on DVD."

Fiona laughed. "I remember. We only knew each other for a few weeks then."

Adam nodded, "Yeah. We ordered some sushi because you dislike popcorn. After watching four chick flicks this was the first time I chose the movie."

Fiona scoffed. "Your eyes teared up during Kate and Leopold," she countered.

Eli and Clare chuckled.

Adam made no comment. "Anyway, I like the _Iron Man_ comics and thought the movie was pretty good. I was trying to show you that not all comic book movies are 'one dimensional action films'. You were pretty good during the war scenes, but once they returned to L.A. every comment you made was about the clothes!"

"Oh yeah," Fiona said innocently while the trio laughed.

"And that's how you knew liked her?" Eli asked.

Adam shrugged. "What can I say? It was cute."

"Awww!" Clare exclaimed.

Fiona and Adam shared a look and smiled brighter.

"What about you, Fiona? When did you realize young Adam here was the guy for you?" Eli asked in a teasing manner.

They looked at each other and Adam raised an eyebrow. He wanted to know when she saw him as more than a friend.

Clare studied her closely. She was interested in this answer too.

"Well, since coming to Toronto I hadn't really thought about dating," Fiona started. They knew of her ordeal with Bobby and the pending court case. "A few guys have asked me out, but I turned them down."

Eli looked at his friend. Adam kept his face neutral.

"Yesterday my lab partner asked me out," Fiona told them.

"David Talbot?" Clare said incredulously. David was a handsome and popular senior.

"Yeah," Fiona confirmed.

Eli and Clare worked hard to keep the shock off their faces. David asked her out and she chose Adam? They thought the world of their friend, but it really showed how they misjudged Fiona. They both viewed her as rich and kind, but shallow. Clare in particular, felt terrible that she doubted Fiona's sincerity.

"Anyway, Adam saw us talking and got the wrong idea. He thought I said yes," Fiona continued.

Eli gave Adam a look. '_That's why he skipped lunch yesterday_,' he thought putting the pieces together.

"I got to thinking about my time here. I realize David sounded good on paper but he had one pretty big flaw," Fiona said.

"What was it?" Adam asked her. He hated hearing what Fiona thought about other guys but he needed to know.

Fiona turned to him and smiled. "He wasn't you."

Adam looked at her with amazement. Fiona stared back with honest emotion. For the seven millionth time today he wanted to pinch himself to check that he wasn't dreaming. How in the world did he end up so lucky?

Eli smiled as he watched the two of them stare into each others eyes. There was no faking it, this was real. He turned to his girlfriend and gave her a knowing look.

Clare looked back at him and nodded. She had been very wrong about Fiona. Funny how one conversation proved how much. She resolved to give the girl sitting across from her a chance. They both cared about Adam and that was common ground enough to try becoming true friends.

The school bell rang.

It snapped Adam and Fiona out of their trance. They smiled shyly at their friends.

"Welcome back to the desert of the real," Eli quipped. He stood up. "Grasshopper, we've got English!"

Adam smirked. "I'll meet you guys there," he said. He turned to Fiona, "Come on, let's go."

.

tbc

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A/N: See what I mean about uneven chapters? Couldn't find it in my heart to break this in two.

Does anybody remember the Jesse McCartney song "She's No You"? Kind of got that stuck in my head..

Please review :D


	4. Damage

"More Than Friends" – Part 4

Summary in part 1.

Author's Note: This is really short scene. Will post a much longer chapter tomorrow!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

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-oOo-

Holly J shifted uncomfortably as she stood outside the classroom. If Fiona was going to ignore her then she would have to make her listen. Persistence was one thing she learned well from Declan. She hoped it would be enough to repair her friendship with his sister.

Last night she said things she shouldn't have. She played devil's advocate a little too convincing, citing all the reasons people would oppose Fiona's relationship with Adam. She hadn't meant to insult the guy, but the damage was done the moment the words flew out of her mouth.

She spotted Fiona walking down the hall with Adam. They looked happy together. Fiona's expression changed when she saw her.

"Holly J!" Adam said happily. She glanced at Fiona before responding.

"Hey Adam. Happiness looks good on you," Holly J remarked.

He smiled. "Well, I say that's true for both of us," he looked at Fiona and grinned. "Okay, need to sprint down the hall to English. See you guys later!"

Holly J waited until he was out of earshot, "You didn't tell him."

Fiona glared at her. "It's been a happy day so far. I didn't have the heart to tell him that you think people _like him_ shouldn't date me." She pushed pass Holly J and entered the classroom.

.

tbc

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A/N: Yikes! It's not sounding good for Holly J..

Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate the kind words :D


	5. Harsh Words

"More Than Friends" – Part 5

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

Fiona hated being mad at Holly J. She was her best friend. Her confidant. Other than Adam and Declan, few people were as close to her as Holly J had been. She enjoyed lunch with Adam's friends. She could see that they were sincerely happy for them. No judgments. No negativity. That's how she wanted things to go when she called Holly J last night.

Instead there was a long pause and a barrage of reasons why dating Adam was a bad idea. Hadn't Holly J been the one to spot her feelings for Adam before she did? Holly J said as long as she was happy, that's all that mattered. Apparently she lied.

"_Hey it's me! Do you have time to talk?" Fiona asked excitedly. She sat on her bed. Her laptop was in view, along with her new wallpaper of Adam._

"_Hey Fi. Perfect timing, I just got in from work!" Holly J told her. She kicked off her shoes and went to look for her slippers._

"_You know me, I time it down to the minute," she laughed. "I've got exciting news."_

"_Ooh, I think I know what it is!" her friend responded. Fiona smiled. Holly J was way more perceptive than she was. She waited for her friend to continue. "Sav told me."_

"_Sav knows?" Fiona asked curiously. She wasn't sure how he heard, but then again Adam and Sav knew each other._

"_Yeah, silly! Being president requires you to develop a sixth sense as to what's going around you," Holly J lectured. Fiona rolled her eyes at the student council reference._

"_So what do you think?" Fiona asked._

"_I think the two you make a cute couple!" Holly J exclaimed._

"_Thanks Holly J. I really like Adam and I think this could work," Fiona said happily._

_There was a long pause at the other end of the phone. "You and Adam?" Holly J sat on the edge of her bed._

_Fiona frowned. "Yeah. I thought you knew already?" she asked confused._

"_Sav said he saw you talking to David Talbot," Holly J responded. He had told her there was some flirting going on._

"_Yeah, I was." She felt a sense of dread._

"_And?" Holly J questioned._

"_He asked me out but I said no. I'm not interested in him," Fiona replied._

_There was another long pause. "Yet you're interested in Adam?" It slipped out before Holly J could check her tone._

_Fiona felt sick as she picked up on the condescension in her friend's tone. "I am," she said more forcefully. "Why do you sound so surprised by that? You said yourself that you picked up a coupley vibe from us."_

"_Fiona, have you really thought about this?" Holly J said in an even tone. She was pissed at Sav. He had given her the wrong information and now this conversation was going downhill fast._

_Fiona tensed. "What do you mean by that?"_

_Holly J readied herself. Sometimes honesty was the best policy. "I just foresee some issues with dating Adam. That's all."_

"_Such as?" Fiona pressed her to continue._

"_Well, he's two years younger than you. You're a senior which means at the end of the year you'll be leaving Degrassi. You're going to an Ivy League university, which are all pretty far from Toronto," Holy J reasoned. "And you're family is based in New York City, which means this summer you'll be in New York. Dating a guy in grade 10 is problematic."_

_Fiona sighed as she considered Holly J's words. Even though she didn't like it, Holly J had a point or two. She suppressed her doubts and reminded herself that Holly J was coming from a place of reason and with her best interest at heart. Still, Fiona felt strongly about pursing a relationship with Adam._

"_You're right Holly J," she began. "But all those issues would still be in place if I dated David," she countered. "I like Adam more, so I'd rather see where it goes."_

"_But if you have a preset end date, then why date him at all?" Holly J asked bemused._

"_That still applies if I were to date David," Fiona replied._

_She heard Holly J sigh. "Let me play devil's advocate here—"_

"_Devil's advocate?" Fiona questioned._

"_Yeah, advancing the opposing argument. Humor me," Holly J asked. Perhaps it was time to be more frank._

_Fiona bit her tongue. Wasn't Holly J doing that all night? She hadn't heard her mention a single reason for dating Adam._

"_Not a lot of seniors date sophomores, and those that do are usually guys. Have you considered how this will look to everyone at school? Especially once they hear you turned down David Talbot to date him." Holly J didn't like be a bitch, but sometimes the truth wasn't pretty._

_Now Fiona was upset. Why was Holly J so set against her dating Adam? "I don't care."_

"_Fiona, you're not being reasonable. I mean, you really have to think about these things. We don't exist in a vacuum—"_

"_Don't you think I know that!" Fiona yelled. "Believe me, I _know _that people talk! But their chatter is unimportant. Taking it to heart is destructive – I should know. I've done it before and it's never made me feel good about myself to let gossip rule my life."_

_Another long pause. Holly J started to feel like she was in over her head. Fiona had never yelled at her before. She felt awful that she upset her friend, "I didn't mean to strike a nerve—"_

"_Well, anytime you question my sanity it's going to hit a nerve," Fiona fired back._

"_That's not what I meant, Fiona! It's just that the Coynes have an image and you say you don't care, but the twincest incident did a number on you," Holly J mentioned._

_Fiona softened. "It did," she admitted. "But dating a guy in grade 10 is nowhere near as controversial as kissing my brother." She winced. She really wished she could rewind time and stop that from happening._

"_Yeah, but dating a transgendered guy is," Holly J countered._

"_What?" Fiona was truly hurt. She didn't expect to hear that from her best friend._

"_You know how the tabloids are. How do you think your family is going to react?" Holly J asked._

_Fiona's eyes filled with tears. "Thanks Holly J. I was excited and wanted to tell my best friend about how I'm dating this great guy. Instead I'm told people will think I'm crazy for turning down David Talbot for a guy in grade 10 and my family will be ashamed of me for dating a trans guy. Really, I don't think this conversation could get any worst, so I'm going to end it here."_

_She ended the call._

Fiona glanced over at Holly J, who was sitting to her right. All day the girl had been trying to apologize, but she wouldn't let her. She wanted this to behind them too, but every time she thought of last night she grew angry.

What really upset her is that yesterday afternoon was perfect. She was on cloud nine, and a few hours later her conversation with Holly J had knocked her down. Part of her was also worried about the things that were said. If this is what her best friend said to her, would others say worst?

Fiona shook her head. She could handle whatever strangers said about it. They didn't matter. However, what about Declan? Or her mother? She couldn't shake off their contempt so easily. She was going to call her brother after speaking to Holly J, but decided against it.

Declan didn't know Adam. She didn't want him to judge him before meeting him. She hated that Holly J made her question these things. When she was with Adam everything was so clear.

Suddenly she got a text. She discreetly opened her smart phone.

**I know you hate me, but I am truly sorry. Can we talk after class? xoxox -Holly J**

Fiona glanced over at her friend sadly. Had she been crying? Holly J's eyes were red. Fiona looked away, her eyes facing front. She knew neither one of them had been paying attention to the lecture. If there was a Pop Quiz tomorrow, then they would be in trouble. She smiled at the thought of Holly J failing a quiz. It did not compute.

It was time to let this pain go, she realized. She kept her eyes trained forward as she reached out her hand to girl on her right. After a moment Holly J took her hand. Though she didn't see it, she knew a weight was lifted off her best friend's shoulders.

.

tbc

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A/N: Writing that Fiona/Holly J fight was intense! I felt bad for both of them. I'm sure everyone has had a fight with a friend where the conversation just hits a point of no return and there's no immediate way to fix things.

Fiona needed time to be angry about what happened – especially because she felt attacked by an unlikely source. I wanted this chapter to be about the power of forgiveness and how it helps both parties.


	6. Ready

"More Than Friends" – Part 6

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

The day was finally over. He wasn't sure how, but Adam had survived a whole school day without kissing Fiona. He felt like running down the halls to find her, however he refrained from doing so. He didn't want to get a demerit from the hall monitor. He passed by the handicap bathroom and decided to go inside.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror. He saw a teenage boy with a slightly goofy grin staring back at him. It was hard to believe that at the beginning of the year he considered going back to being Gracie.

Adam shuddered.

That wasn't who he was. While at times he wasn't sure if he could make a life for himself as Adam, he knew being her wasn't an option.

He smiled. Fiona Coyne saw him for who he was. She saw pass the exterior and embraced the guy who was inside. He wasn't sure what to expect. Of course relationships were always good in the beginning, but there was no telling the future. He knew one thing though; he sure wanted to find out.

His last relationship was back in middle school. When he was Gracie he dated his best friend. There were few GLBT students at his school, so they were grateful to find each other. They were both into girls so it was perfect, until she realized it wasn't like it should be.

She was attracted to girls and enjoyed being a girl. He was attracted to girls yet hated his body. She was the first person he came out to as transgendered. Though he was terrified she encouraged him to come out to Drew. She was a great support but this consequentially ended their romantic relationship. Ironically, their break up was the first time he felt accepted as a male.

Adam smiled.

Since transitioning he had kissed other girls. There had been a handful of girls he kissed at parties. Earlier in the year there had been a few girls at Degrassi he kissed in secret. Yet he hadn't dated anyone. Until now.

Adam adjusted his hair and then left the bathroom. He was ready for this. He was tired of listening to all the reasons he should wait to be happy. '_You're too young_'. '_People won't understand_'. '_No girl will date you_'. Screw them all.

He spotted Fiona in the Zen Garden. She was talking to Holly J. He waited, not wanting to barge in.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Woo hoo. I'm excited for 2 reasons.

1) One more week until new Degrassi episodes!

and

2) One more chapter left to post. Then it's on to the next story in the post "We Are Friends" series. This one is the longest I've written yet. It's currently 35 pages and counting! I'm eager to share it. There's drama, angst, and some interesting turns.


	7. Anywhere

"More Than Friends" – Part 7

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

* * *

-oOo-

"So you haven't told Declan?" Holly J asked.

Fiona shook her head. "No, I thought it's best to wait. Maybe have him come up and visit first."

"I think that's a good idea," Holly J responded.

The two girls had skipped last period to talk out their issues. Fiona told her how hurt she was by their argument. Holly J acknowledged she was harsh with her criticism and plain wrong to dismiss Adam the way she had. She truly liked the guy yet let her own biases get into the way. They both recognized their weaknesses and missteps, and resolved to move forward.

Holly J added, "He should get to know Adam first." She looked passed Fiona and spotted Adam outside the doorway. "Speaking of which, I should get going and I know you two have plans."

Fiona looked at her puzzled before turning around. He waved at her. She smiled, "Adam!"

He walked inside. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"Nonsense. I suspect you could stop by while she's having a root canal and she would still smile," Holly J joked.

Fiona frowned at her. Adam raised his eyebrows, "Good to know," he teased as he looked at Fiona.

She tried to glare at him but the moment her eyes met his she softened.

"And now she's Jello," Holly J zinged.

"Don't you have someplace to be," Fiona countered.

Holly J laughed, "I can take a hint." She turned to Adam. "Yes, happiness looks good on _both_ of you." She waved at the couple and left.

"I thought she'd never leave!" Fiona joked.

Adam smirked. "She's quite the character," he commented. "So, she really wasn't surprised?"

Fiona paused and then motioned for him to sit beside her. She didn't want them to start off with secrets and omissions. She told him about her argument with Holly J and how they resolved things this afternoon. He waited until she was done to speak.

"How come you didn't tell me about any of this?" Adam asked concerned. "I don't like the thought of you carrying this weight alone."

Fiona shrugged. "I didn't want to ruin the day. You were so happy — we were happy. I didn't want this dark cloud to spoil it."

Adam shook his head. "I don't want you to be afraid to lean on me. I can take it, you know." He looked at her intensely. He wanted her to know that she could count on him.

"I know," she said. "But part of me thought if I didn't deal with it I could ignore it. Stupid I know—"

"It's not stupid," Adam interrupted. "I understand where you're coming from. But in my experience, a little denial can cause a world of hurt."

She looked deeply into his eyes. She was in awe that he understood her so well.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said. "This anti-PDA thing is cramping my style."

She laughed. They walked as fast as permissible until they escaped the school grounds. As they rounded the corner they stopped at a street car stop shelter.

"Finally," she breathed.

Adam laughed as he pulled Fiona towards him. Slowly and deliberately he brought his lips towards hers. They kissed with rising passion. After a few moments they broke apart.

"Wanted to do that all day," he said panting. She smiled at him while she caught her breathe.

"Me too," she admitted.

He took her hand, "Where to?" he asked her.

She ran her thumb over the back of his hand, "Anywhere but here."

They smiled at each other and shared a short kiss before walking away, together.

.

-FIN-

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading! This is the last part.

As I mentioned in the last author's note, there's another story in this series. I will post the first chapter soon!

**Update: The sequel has been posted. Look for the story "You Don't Want Me".**


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